Pillar construction for automobile bodies



PF my l940 P. o. KROGH 2,197,644

PILLAR CONSTRUCTION FOR AUTOMOBILE BODIES Filed April l1, 1959 v Snventor Peer 0. /frOg/ Patented Apr. 16, 1940 A:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,197,644' "l v l 'l PILLAR CONSTRUCTION FOR AUTOMOBILE BODIES Peter 0. Krogh, Lima, Ohio, assigner to Superior gohliig' Company, Lima, Ohio, a corporation of Application April 11, 1939, Serial No. 267,277

1 claim. (o1. 296-28) This invention relates primarily to body frames varies in accordance with the edge configuration for automobiles of the limousine type such as of the doors used in connection therewith, as used for ambulances and funeral cars, and par- Well understood in the art.

ticularly to a pillar structure between front and The inner or open side of the channel member rear side doors 0f such vehicle and against which I4 is closed by a strip I5 `which is'stamped from 5 the doors may close. sheet metal and is provided with outstanding The object of the invention is the provision of flanges d along its longitudinal edges which t an all-metal pillar oi this character composed into the member I4 in side abutment with the of a plurality of sheet metal sections shaped and side walls thereof and are welded, or otherwise l0 combined in a manner to facilitate assembly and suitably xed thereto. The strip I5 has a longi- 10 to produce a pillar which is simple and inextudinally extending central channel portion c pensive in construction and which combines a which adds strength to the member and also maximum of strength with a minimum of weight forms a seat for the open end of a U-shaped reand cost of manufacture. iniorcing member I6, which is mounted in the The invention is fully described in the followchannel member I4 at the point 0f engagement l5 ing specication, and one embodiment thereof of the door locks therewith. A recess (not illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in shown) for receiving the door lock catch member whichis provided within a notch II in each shoulder c Figure 1 is a perspective View of the outer side of the pillar near its vertical center, as shown in of a pillar embodying the invention, with the Figs. 2 and 5. The member I6 is of metal and 20 upper and lower body frame rails to which atpreferably welded to 4the members I4 and I5. tached iramentarily shown; Fig. 2 is a side edge The pillar I0, in the present instance, is proelevation thereof; Fig. 3 is an upper end view of vided at the inner side of its lower end portion the pillar; Figs. Ll, 5 and 6 are cross-sections with a saddle member 20, which is welded to the thereof on the lines 4 4, 5 5 and 6 6, respecpillar and is adapted to be attached to a suitable 25 tively, in Fig. 2, and Fig. 7 is a bottom end view body frame part (not shown). of the pillar. To facilitate securely attaching the upper end Referring to the drawing, I0 designates a pillar of the pillar I0 to the roof edge rail II, a ilat bar embodying the invention and II and I2 the strip 2| is secured to the upper end of the pillar longitudinally extending roof and foot body crosswise thereof between it and the edge rail II, 30 frame members, respectively, between which the and is welded at points to the under side of such pillar may be disposed and to which it is rigidly rail. The strip 2I is attached to the pillar end secured in any suitable manner. by a bracket piece 22 of. strap metal which has a The pillar includes a main or body member I4 iiat portion at its top underlying the strip 2| and of channel form which extends the full length of welded or otherwise suitably attached thereto, 35 the pillar and may have itsinner side edge, or and having at its inner end a leg 22a extending that formed by the free edges of the side walls of down at the inner side ofthe i'lller piece I5 and the channel, substantially straight lengthwise welded thereto, and having at its outer end a thereof and its outer or closed side of a congsimilar leg extending down at an incline and 40 uration conforming to the irregular side contour being attached, preferably by welding, to the 40 of the associated automobile body side, as shown lower end portion of the leg 22a. at the right side of Fig. 2. It is apparent that I have provided a door The channel member III has its loop or `cross pillar for automobile body frames, which is comportion a of a with suitable for the width of the posedentirely of stamped metal parts that are spacing between the outer edges of doors which capable of easy and rapid assembly in fixed rela- 45 are adapted to close against the pillar at opposite tion and which produce a light, strong and inexsides thereof, and its opposing side walls b, b, are pensive pillar. preferably disposed in slightly diverging relation I wish it understood that my invention is not inwardly from the outer side a. to add strength limited to any specic construction, arrangement and rigidity to the pillar. Each side wall b is or form of the parts, as `it is capable of numerous 50 provided with r an outwardly offset shoulder c modifications and changes without `departing which extends the entire length of the pillar and from the spirit of the claim. forms a striker or stop shoulder for the respec- Having thus described `my invention, what I tive door to close against. The depth of this claim as new, and desire to secure by United shoulder `from the outer` side a of the pillar States Letters Patent, is: 55

A metallic door pillar comprising a main body of generally U-shape in cross section, having its opposing side walls each provided with an offset shoulder intermediate the side edges of the legs of the U to form strikers for the doors, a member having a part closing the open side of the body and formed WithA a pair of spaced inwardly projecting shoulders which latter are spaced from the sideedges of the member, said member have 10 ing its side edges out-turned and engaged with the inner faces of the sides of the body and secured to the latter, and a reinforcing member of U-shape in cross section fitted Within the main body and having its closed side disposed adjacent to the closed side of the body, and having its sides engaging the sides of the body, and having the edge portions of its sides formed with inwardly extending offsets engaged with the shoulders of the member and secured to the latter.'

PETER O. KROGH. 

